The legacy of a period in wich European nations imposed its rule on colonies.
Everything that happened in these past times didn't suddenly dissapear, you still see a lot of these influences in today's society. 

Development of the Congo as a private property of Leopold II.

King Leopold’s attention was drawn to the region during Henry Morton Stanley’s exploration of the Congo river in 1874 to 1877. Consequently in November 1878 the Committee for Studies of the Upper Congo (“Comité d’Études du Haut Congo”, later renamed in “Association Internationale du Congo") was formed to open up the African interior to European trade. Until 1884 the committee arranged 450 treaties with independent African entities, which they used as their “right” to govern all the territory in the Congo, which led to the foundation of the Congo Free State in 1885. Leopold's colonial ambitions were one of the reasons that led to the Berlin Conference from 1884-85, as for example Portugal also wanted to claim the Congo and it came to growing tensions.

Berlin Conference (15. November 1884 - 26. Februar 1885)

The Berlin Conference took place between the 15th November 1884 and the 26th February 1885 due to growing tensions and rivalries in West Africa, that were mainly over the control of the Congo basin and along the River Niger. The outcome of this was the conclusion of a General Act, which was signed by all major colonial powers: France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, US, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Turkey. This General Act set out the conditions under which territory might be acquired. One of the results of this conference was also the recognition of the Congo Free State.

The Congo Free State

On the 5th of February the Congo Free State was officially established. The king stated as his goal to bring civilization to the people of the Congo, as it was a common belief at that time, that the western countries were more civilised. The reign of King Leopold II. turned out to be a very brutal and bloody time period though, where millions of congolese people died. 

Until 1890 the king had already invested 19 Million Belgian Francs in the Congo and was nearly bankrupt. Due to this the Belgian state granted him 25 Million Belgian Francs as investment. As King Leopold pressed for profits from the Congo, the regime got more and more brutal and exploitative.

During the period of the Congo Free State the congolese people were mainly used as a simple resource and not seen as a human. They for example had to build a railway by hand, collect resources like ivory, rubber or copper, etc. The regime used forced labour, murder, mutilation, abductions, rape, etc. on the Congolese people for them to fill the high demands in the workfield. This was enforced through the Force Publique, the private army from King Leopold II. which was made up of Belgian officers and Congolese soldiers and grew to a size of 19000 people. Through these methods the export of rubber was increased from 100 tons in 1891 to 6000 tons of rubber in 1906.

With these profits and materials many famous buildings in Belgium were built, as for example the train station in Antwerp or the Africa Museum in Brussels. King Leopold also hosted a human zoo at the Africa Museum with 267 Congolese people for the International Exhibition in 1897.

These inhumane methods led to a big decrease of the population. Nowadays it’s estimated that half of the Congolese population so around 10 million Congolese died during the existence of the Congo Free State. Most of them were either killed or died due to malnutrition. 

As the officers were afraid of a revolution, Congolese soldiers had to prove the use of munition so they cut off the hands of their victims, even of children. In total several revolutions were furthermore violently suppressed.

End of the Congo Free State

In 1904 after discovering that Belgium only imported weapons to the Congo and there was no trade, but just exploitation of the Congo, the British journalist Edmund D. Morel founded the Congo Reform Association, which advocated for human rights and informed about the inhuman treatments of the congolese people in the colonies. One famous member of this organisation was for example the author Mark Twain.

In 1908, due to international pressure and the growing attention on the situation in the Congo, King Leopold II. had to hand over the Congo Free State to the Belgian government for which he got 50 million Belgian Francs, which would be 1 239 466,68 Euros today. Afterwards the Congo was turned into a colony of the Belgian State and henceforth called the Belgian Congo.

From 1908 until its independence in 1960, the Belgian Congo (French: Congo belge) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa. In 1964, the former colony chose the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as its new name.

Unlike other countries in Africa, Belgium assumed control of the Congo in 1908, but it still remained a colony. It was still governed from Brussels (rather than by an on-site governor), but the minister for the Congo now has direct authority over the country rather than the king. Similar as before, Brussels continues to delegate much of the colony's management to non-governmental organizations.

Eventhough Belgium took over the colony  from the king Leopold II, the racist practices stayed. We can talk about structural colonial repression. This part of history is mostly forgotten. Everyone knows the start and end of the belgian colony Congo but forgets the harm done in the years 1908 till 1960. There was a society full of racism, dire poverty, economic exploitation and malnutrition that was masked by the wrong recollections of white Belgians who had worked and ruled in the Congo. 

During this period, The Catholic missionaries were in charge of education. 

By mid-century 10% of Congolese children attended primary school, compared to just 3% in neighbouring French Equatorial Africa.

In order to take advantage of the new possibilities, the Union Minière du Haut Kanga mining corporation is established in 1906. In 1911, copper extraction starts. It produces 7% of the world's output by 1928. At the same time, diamonds help the Congo maintain its position as one of Africa's richest nations. Diamond production from the Congo, which began mining in 1907, is now, 20 years later, second only to South Africa's in terms of global output.

Congolese labourers were paid for their work in the mines and on the farms after slavery was outlawed in 1910. But this was a lot less money than what Europeans were paid for the same work.

Up to the middle of the 20th century, this colonial racism persisted in daily life. 'White' and 'black' neighbourhoods were created in cities. Only with specific authorization were the Congolese permitted to go to the eateries, pubs, and theaters of 'white' Europeans. So there was also a form of Apartheid in this society like it was known in South-Africa. 

Ruanda-urundi under Belgium 

Ruanda-urundi, afterwards known as Rwanda-Burundi, was a colonial region that was previously a part of German East Africa. It was conquered by Belgian Congo forces during the East African campaign of World War I, and from 1916 until 1922, Belgium ruled it while it was under military occupation. After being given to Belgium as a Class-B Mandate by the League of Nations in 1922, it was changed into a Trust Territory of the United Nations during World War II and the League's dissolution.

The two biggest groups in that society were the hutu and the tutsi. Tutsi were people who raise cattle. Hutu were people who were farmers and work on the field. Because raise cattle is more valuable and is a job for a minority of people, the tutsi see themselves as the local elite. 

In an effort to advance political development and social stability, Belgium implemented the Ten-Year Development Plan in 1952; however, this program ultimately gave the Tutsi minority dominance over the Hutu majority in terms of politics, economics, and society.

This brought civil unrest and a new election was called to defuse the imbalance of power of the Tutsi. 

In 1961 the Belgian administration officially renamed Ruanda-Urundi as Rwanda-Burundi.

In April of 1962, both countries decided that a political union was impossible due to the unresolvable long-standing historical antagonism between their two republics. On June 27, 1962, the General Assembly voted to terminate the Belgian Trusteeship Agreement, and days later Rwanda attained independence. 

In 1962, Gregoire Kayibanda, the PARMEHUTU leader, led Rwanda to independence. The ratification of a new constitution. The Tutsi attempted to invade Rwanda shortly after, in 1963, but were repulsed. In revenge, the Hutu slaughtered approximately 12,000 Tutsis, and numerous Tutsis fled the nation.

Independence in June 30, 1960

In may 1960 a growing nationalist movement led by Patrice Lumumba won the parliamentary elections. Lumumba became the first Prime minister of the Republic of the Congo. Also a president, Joseph Kasa-Vuba, was elected.
The western rulers had high hopes that the Republic of the Congo would form a stable, pro-Western, central government. Those hopes vanished in a matter of days as the nation descended into chaos.

On July 5, Congolese soldiers rebelled against their white Belgian commanders, this spread through the whole nation and violence broke out across the nation. Because of this the Belgians brought in troops to restore order without seeking permission from either Kasavubu or Lumumba. Because of no permission the Congolese government appealed to the UN to provide troops and demanded the removal of Belgian troops. The UN approved the creation of an intervention force and called for the withdrawal of all Belgian troops.

While the United States supported the UN effort, the West was increasingly concerned that the Congo crisis would provide an opening for Sovjet intervention. Lumumba was invited to visit Washington in late July, in hopes that the US could exert a moderating influence on the prime minister. It was futile and a classic Communist takeover followed. These reports convinced members of the national security team that Lumumba had to be removed. On September 5, Kasavubu (president) dismissed Lumumba from the government. Lumumba ignored this decree and dismissed Kasavubu. The supporters of Lumumba were outraged and pledged to support his return to office. In an attempt to avoid civil war, Colonel Joseph Mobutu of the Congolese National Army orchestrated a coup d’état on September 14, and ordered the Sovjets out of the country. Mobutu’s early efforts to support a pro-Western government and his ties to the military placed him in good stead with the western world. The western world even informed him of a plot to assassinate him. Lumumba was blamed for this plot and was arrested and executed by Belgian led troops. Investigation by Belgium’s Parliament found Belgium “morally responsible” for the murder of Lumumba, and the country (only the government not the kings house) apologised for its role in his death.

Over the next four years, as the Republic of the Congo installed a series of prime ministers, the US repeatedly attempted to create a stable, pro-Western regime through vote buying and financial support for pro-Western candidates. Mobutu also received funds to help him gain the loyalty of the Congolese National army and avoid rebellion in the ranks. Neither effort succeeded in quelling the seemingly endless unrest in the volatile provinces.

So the independence of Congo was reached on June 30, 1960. This happened after a rebellion of Congolese soldiers against their white Belgian commanders. Because of this, Belgium sent troops without permission. As a consequence the UN provided troops for the removal of Belgian troops and called for the withdrawal of all Belgian troops. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo#:~:text=In%201908%2C%20Leopold%20ceded%20the,a%201965%20coup%20d'%C3%A9tat.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/congo-decolonization

https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/congolese-win-independence-belgian-empire-1959-60

An intro

After the juridical decolonisation of the colonies, the parliament of Belgium wanted to make a ‘decolonisation commission’. That idea was first of all made due to the influence of the movement ‘Black Lives Matter’. It was also due to our king, King Filip, that sent a letter to the Congolese president for the 60th anniversary of the free state of Congo. You can read more about it below (point 1).
On 20 July 2020 the Chamber of Representatives started the special commission of the colonial past. Only Belgium has shown interest in bonding with his previous colonies.
The Belgian government feels the urge to rethink their colonial past because they know that the colonisation of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda left painful marks on the countries and the people.
You would ask yourself why is it only Belgium that shows interest in connecting with their previous colony’s. Would it be because people aren’t aware of the colonial past of their country? Is it because the governments are afraid that they have to compensate their previous colony’s? Or would it be because they think they did nothing wrong? We can only guess the reasons and conclude that not much is done due to these reasons (except for Belgium).

In the next lines we are going to tell you:

1.  A short history towards the commission

2.  Who led the commission

3. What the mean focus of the commission was 

4. What the commission recommends/concludes

5. Line-out of what the Belgian political parties thought about the advice given by the special commission of the colonial past

1) In Belgium, this commission initiated by Parliament is part of a long-standing movement. Since the late 1980s, associations of mainly Afro-descendants have been campaigning against racism and for the decolonization of public space. This essential work continued to take place behind the scenes for decades. In 2004, the hand of a Congolese figure was chopped off at the foot of the equestrian statue of Leopold II in Ostend. Demands for the creation of a Lumumba Square gradually increased. In 2011, UNIA, the Interfederal Center for Equal Opportunity, published a report on discrimination against Afro-descendants. In 2017, a second UNIA report confirmed the continued influence of colonial history on representations of black people. In that same year, a study within the framework of a consortium of universities (University of Liège, Catholic University of Louvain, Free University of Brussels) includes the first monitoring of Afro-descendants, particularly of Congolese, Rwandan and Burundian origin. This study finds that Afro-descendants "suffer very much from ethno-racial discrimination and racism and that this is reflected in the feeling of not having the same opportunities as Belgians".

In December 2018, the Royal Museum for Central Africa reopened after five years of work to adapt to a modern museography. Immediately welcomed by some, severely criticized by others, the walls of the Africa Museum now remind us in four languages that "everything passes except the past ". The phrase goes beyond a statement of facts and becomes prophetic as the movement accelerates. In February 2019, a working group established by the United Nations to monitor discrimination against African people made a working visit to Belgium. The group concluded that racial discrimination is "endemic" in the country's institutions and suggested that Belgian authorities launch a "work of remembrance" to establish the facts and shed light on the colonial past.

In response, the Prime Minister of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Rudy Demotte, commissioned the Royal Academy of Belgium to produce a report on the treatment and return of non-European heritage. At the same time, the Human Remains Origin Multidisciplinary Evaluation project (HOME) is considering the possible return of human remains to the previous colonized countries. In December 2019, the federal Minister of Science Policy, David Clarinval, announced the creation of an interdisciplinary commission at the federal level on the topic of reinstitution.

Six months later, the violent death of George Floyd in the United States caused a wave of outrage around the world. In Belgium, the Black Lives Matter movement crystalised tensions over symbols of colonisation, starting with the figure of Leopold II. On June 30, 2020, King Philip sent a letter to Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence. For the first time, a Belgian sovereign acknowledged the "acts of violence and atrocities" committed at the time of the independent state of Congo, as well as the "suffering" and "humiliation" endured during the colonial period. After stating that these "wounds of the past" "still weigh on our collective memory," he encouraged a reflection initiated by Parliament "so that our memory is pacified once and for all." Finally, he underscored the "discrimination is still too prevalent in our societies" and the need to "fight all forms of racism."

The existence of a political momentum is confirmed by this speech with which this issue is mobilizing all Belgian institutions. In August 2020, the Council of Rectors (CRef) and the Flemish Inter-University Council (VLIR) (the two bodies uniting the rectors of all Belgian universities) set up an inter-university working group to reflect on the role of universities in promoting understanding and recognition of the colonial past, as well as broad and sustained awareness-raising activities. A month later, Secretary of State Pascal Smet also set up a working group to study the presence of colonial symbols in public spaces in the Brussels Region. Flanders published in October 2020, a practical guide on colonial references in public space. It is thus in the wake of a whole series of actions that the approach initiated by the Belgian Parliament must be placed. It should also be seen in the context of three other legislative initiatives: the resolution on the segregation of the metis from Belgian colonization in Africa, the law establishing a regime for the declassification of classified documents, and the law recognizing the inalienable nature of goods related to the colonial past of the Belgian state and establishing a legal framework for their restitution and return.

2) The leading role of the commission was taken by Wouter De Vriendt. Wouter Devriend is a member of the Green political party of Belgium (central left-winged party). There were 2 expert groups, 144 persons and organisations involved from the countries Belgium, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda.

Why did they choose Wouter Devriend as leader of the commission?

His main motivation? Justice. That is also the starting point of all dossiers that he made/led. He previously worked as a Member of Parliament on foreign affairs, development cooperation, defence, asylum and migration. With his knowledge of files and his passionate but modest style, he opposed against politicians who only shout on Twitter and turn people against each other.

In 2017, Wouter was able to force a change of course from our country towards Saudi Arabia from the opposition. That country violates human rights and supports wars in the region. Thanks to the green resolution, Belgium must now adopt a stricter, more ethical attitude. He also put the discussion about killer robots on the parliamentary agenda and watches over the humane approach of migrants. A deal was thus created to end the lock up of children of parents with no legal papers. In 2021 he became party leader for the green party in the Chamber of the parliament. You could say that he’s chosen because of how he tries to implement equal and human rights for everyone.

3) The starting point is a fundamental question: how (to) deal with the (colonial) past if it continues to divide? Ultimately, it is about recognizing what needs to be recognized, reducing past discrimination and moving forward.

The resolution establishing the Special Commission of the colonial past listed six main objectives:

• To shed clarity on the independent state of the Congo (1885-1908) and Belgium's colonial past in the Congo (1908-1960), Rwanda and Burundi (1919-1962) and draw lessons for the future.

• To examine the role played by the Belgian state, Belgian authorities and broader non-state actors (such as the Monarchy, the church and the private sector) played between 1885 and 1962 in the context of the independent state of the Congo and Belgian Congo, Rwanda and Burundi (1885-1962).

• Examine the economic impact of colonization on Belgium, the colonized countries and the individuals, companies and institutions that benefited from it.

• Formulate recommendations on dealing with the colonial past.

• Promote reconciliation between Belgians of all origins and optimise relations between Belgians on the one hand and Congolese, Rwandans and Burundians on the other.

• Formulate recommendations to stimulate academic research on the colonial period and, finally, develop concrete proposals on the protection, opening and accessibility of archives related to the colonial period.

The commission also wants to make a point that they are not only looking in the past but that they actually want to learn from it with concrete actions towards the government. 

The Commission structured its work into six main phases. 

• The first phase consisted of a series of consultations and an appeal to civil society organizations  in Burundi, Congo and Rwanda.

• The second phase focused on existing initiatives on the ground. In particular, it focused on the follow-up or lack of follow-up to the Lumumba Commission's recommendations, as well as those concerning the specific case of the Metis.

• The third phase addressed the issue of past recognition and related responsibilities.

• The fourth phase focused on academic research and the issue of archives, whether in Belgium or in Burundi, Congo or Rwanda.

• The fifth phase focused on the program of reparation and reconciliation.

• Finally, the sixth and final phase was devoted to drafting the recommendations and conclusions, which are for the Belgian authorities.

4) Now we get to the conclusions and recommendations. There were 128 recommendations for the Belgian authorities. It would be too long to mention them all so I will reference the rapport of the special commission of the colonial past that you can find below in French or Dutch. 

The main recommendations of the commission are:

• Give apologies from the house of representatives to the colonized governments of Belgium.

• Don’t link a financial compensation to the apologies. This means that the Belgian government isn’t obliged to take further economical actions due this matter.

• Name a building to Patrice Lumumba to remember him.

• Give access to the colonial archives. Now the main documents are classified so nobody knows what actually happened. One of the biggest questions in this part of history is the death of Patrice Lumumba.

• Give recognition towards the troops of the colonised countries that have fought for Belgium.

• Promote friendship towards the previous colonizer (Belgium) and the previous colonised countries (Congo, Rwanda, Burundi).

• Put contextual texts on the statues that are made during the colonial time or that represent Belgium in the colonial past. They also recommend to put peaceful statues beside them that promote friendship.

• Giving back artifacts to the previous colonised countries.

• Investigate the background of ‘mixed children’. All children have the right to know their parents and where they come from. 

5) In this last part we talk about what happened with the commission report and the opinion on the rapport of the political landscape of Belgium. 

There were a lot of large discussions between the political parties to sign the agreement of the rapport. The main discussion point was: ‘Do we apologize to the colonized governments of Belgium or not?’. This discussion became so big that the rest of the report was disappearing in the background. There were a lot of emotions between the parties and that is why no agreement was made or signed. 

We also want to mention the influence of King Filip in this matter. He was never personally involved in this discussion but he has political advisors that were involved and indirectly influenced the end result. The King for example wants to make sure the archives that are classified stays classified. Why does he do this, what is he hiding?

The end result of the Special Commission of the colonial past ended in nothing… No agreement was reached and it was put on hold. 

Let’s hope in the near future this matter is put on the political agenda again!